I don't think they'll have any problem finding buyers. When I first started looking, I had missed the boat on new condos just around the block from there called The Berkshire on East 28th http://streeteasy.com/building/75-east-28-street-brooklyn#tab_building_detail=1. And I couldn't figure out why developers didn't realize there was a demand for more like them. But 23 stories is WAY out of context.

It won't. This is at least ten minutes by SBS then a LONG walk down Atlantic to Nostrand. It's easier to take the local B44 if you are trying to make that transfer as there are at least stairs to the platform near the corner of New York.

I don't understand 23 stories with no interior corridors. What happens if the elevator goes out? I wouldn't be looking forward to a hike up or down that many stairs in an emergency, or in bad weather.

The way Sears is closing stores and losing money they might even consider selling the whole deal especially since they have a store at Kings Plaza. But, who are we to speculate.

This store is always empty too. Lots around the Kings Theater are already starting to change...3 buildings across Flatbush (all 1-story commercial) have been torn down already. Personally, while Kings Plaza is just due south, it's a good 25 minute b41 ride down there. I'd love to see some strong shopping there - beyond a Staples that closes at like 4pm or some nonsense, an Old Navy outlet, and a Stop&Shop with 4 carts total. A renewal in shopping like the Fulton Street Mall would be nice.

But all of this said, how are there no nice restaurants or bars looking at Flatbush near the Kings Theater?? New things coming in near the B/Q/S on Flatbush, but Kings Theater is going to open and there will be nowhere nearby for a coffee, beer, or bite to eat for visitors.

Maybe the Kings will have some kind of cafe in the theater sort of like the Pavilion did when it first opened. I don't know if the eatery is still there because I had heard that it wasn't the best but I haven't been down that way in quite a while.

I benefit when I go to Target at the Junction. It's faster than any iteration of the B41 on Flatbush.

If prospective residents find that the immediate area doesn't have the amenities they would like, they can always go outside the neighborhood to find what they like. If they have a car, they can drive to Whole Foods or Fairway. Some limited grocery shopping can be done at the Target at the Junction in a pinch. That Stop and Shop on Tilden sucks.

It's not no-man's land, lol. Yes, Fresh Direct delivers to 11226. And there's a C-Town on Nostrand, an Associated on Church, and a Met on Brooklyn all within walking distance, though I've never shopped at any of them so I can't speak to their quality. But even if they don't drive, they're a block from the 2/5 which takes them to both the Junction and Atlantic Center.

Maybe the complex will offer accepting Fresh Direct deliveries as an amentity. That's what The Plex does.

That's the dumbest amenity ever! I LOATHE getting all deliveries except for Fresh Direct. Fresh Direct comes during a very small window of time that you get to schedule. Ie: I wanted groceries between 10pm and 11:30pm last Tuesday and that is when they came because I chose the date and time. It is ALL OTHER deliveries that suck since they come whenever during the day and on whatever day they feel like.

Yes they deliver to 11226 where I live.

And the Stop&Shop on Tilden is great and suburban - but they never have any shopping carts. I think they're the only store in Brooklyn that doesn't either have poles blocking carts from leaving the store or sensors on the carts that lock the wheels when they get too far.

For which goes first, I agree. I was just reading about the store fronts near Kings and it wasn't that long ago that a large Macy's and a Loehmanns were within 2 blocks of the theater. We still have the Sears. I am hopeful that the area of Kings to the Junction goes the way of Fulton downtown and we get decent stores and aom

The Macys on Flatbush closed many years ago. It wasn't a full size store like the one at Kings Plaza and had about half the departments. I used to shop there but the neighborhood got tough at night and people stopped going there. My car was broken into when I shopped there just before the holidays in December and that was in 1983 I think. Pity too, was actually quite a pretty store.

That Macy's on Flatbush and Tilden closed when I was in high school (back in the 1990s).

I don't have high hope for that Sears. Years ago that location used to sell some Lands End items, but that was discontinued. Now the Kings Plaza location is only location in Brooklyn that carries Lands End items. This person believes Sears will ultimately go out of business.

the sears building has some sort of landmarked designation, doesn't it? if the business closes down it could very well become housing. which would be sort of cool. plenty of space in the flat parking lot to accommodate some adjacent structures. around the corner from kings. honestly the houses across the street from the sears roebuck are quite pretty little limestone 2 stories and brick townhouses. i think this part of flatbush is overdue for some love!

i mean if these are actually condos to the price point of hello living's usual units and not rentals, then i can't say i'm unhappy. we need more affordable apartments for purchase out there--first time buyers are quickly getting screwed out of opportunities to buy since 1-2 bedrooms are sometimes hard to come by in more accessible neighborhoods like this.

Given the design of the building, it wouldn't be difficult to argue that the elevators must be designed in such a way, that the wealthy people living on the higher floors never have to interact with less wealthy folks on the lower floors.

i also have to wonder though. i mean, how badly are wealthy folks clamoring to live off the Church ave 2/5 stop? My boyfriend lives a block away from this project and it's not exactly inundated with what anyone could call wealthy people. especially that little pocket between flatbush, nostrand, church and tilden seems misused and in poor shape--not exactly cute town-house lined blocks with greenery like the areas that surround it. more like ugly self-storage buildings and some sad empty lots (parking lots? sometimes it's hard to tell)

what do you guys think? do you think hello living is going to be successful in getting rich people to live on those top-of-the-ziggurat floors? or will it just be snapped up by foreigners who've never even set eyes on flatbush. who do you think is actually going to live in this undeniably massive building? 626 flatbush of similar height at least can claim park views.

It depends on what goes in around the building. There isn't a decent supermarket anywhere near that area. I think the closest one is around Ave. D. And it's still about a five block walk to Flatbush. Going east there's not much there so whoever moves in at the beginning has to be prepared to travel to get anything done. I think this one will take some time to be fully occupied.

If they price the units appropriately, the project will be sold out fast. Let's say they offer family-sized three bedroom condos or two-bedrooms with offices. If they can build this project in such a way that it is attractive, filled with amenities, and priced at around $500-700,000 per unit, they will have tapped the huge market of young, smug marrieds with kids who want/need to live in NYC and want space, and have a car they want to park in their building's lot. I mean, I would seriously consider it.

Vacancies are not always a bad thing. It is just a matter of waiting for someone to want what you have to offer, and the price you are offering it.

If I was in my 30s and newly married, I might seriously consider this building in today's market. East Flatbush wouldn't really bother my wife and I, and when we wanted a "nice meal", we would eat together in Manhattan before we headed home.

The Plex has finally started filling its first floor retail? Do tell! That complex is on my block and it is still empty as far as I know - I walked past there on Sunday as a matter of fact and saw nothing.

I imagine Park Slope in 1976 as having many of the same qualities as the area we are discussing in Flatbush. I imagine you at 30 (college education, married, employed, not a huge amount of wealth) having many of the same qualities as those who will move into these units in 2018.

This and other projects in the area were sounding overly ambitious to me, until I read that the 400 unit, 2 building project on Clarkson won't be finished until 2018. If you consider this one to be a project that is finished 3 or even 4 years from now, what will the neighborhood be like then? Is that still so far fetched?

If buildings in PLG can be flipped at a rapid rate, they will meet the demand of the young, single, recently graduated from college demographics. ...and said demographics won't be willing to live in a new building in east Flatbush.

However, if PLG buildings can't be rapidly flipped, buildings in locations like E Flatbush will be among the few choices to the aforementioned population.

I also think this scale of development in our neighborhood being successful largely depends on jobs moving closer. As downtown Brooklyn is eventually becoming a major business hub, I would guess that would facilitate larger scale development in our area. With ocean hill and ridgewood being in the same category as development goes, I think flatbush/east flatbush has much better mass transit.

I was by there a few weeks ago but it just looked like a big dirt lot. Did they start pouring the foundation yet? I've learned to be skeptical of these start and end dates, especially with such a big project.

Aw man, I had really warmed up to the ziggurat design.
Is anyone else bothered by the fact they appear to be calling this area PLG? Much love to PLG and all but my Flatbush pride would prefer not to get folded into their territory.

Maybe, but there are so many prewar apartments in the areas and even houses being split farther out for about $900 per room that I'm not sure what the appeal is besides a new building with some in-building amenities. I don't think these new apartment prices will have much appeal to transient transplants and recent grads until there are more neighborhood ameneties on par with western Crown Heights

It has also been called, at various times, Dutch Village, Old Flatbush, and Flatbush Village.

BTW new construction 2bds are going for around $2500 now. Some of these are "convertible" i.e. you could have either no living room in a 3bd or a windowless 3rd bedroom with glass doors. 3 roommates would then be paying ~$850 each.

I would honestly love it if this is what ended up there. Fully contextual height, not too ugly. I wonder if they reconsidered the height because they realized the views were less than stellar. haha. better to have a nice garden space interior courtyard instead

It looks like pictures have been disabled here... but construction has commenced. Workers on site. Over 20 trucks were lined up this morning to haul away debris. Lumber is stacked and a hole is being dug.